Humidifier



April 1939- B. RUPPERT HUMIDIFIER Filed July 15, 1938 v v -v v v v w. -v.

.25. Hpgapert INVENTOR BY wayzwya ATTO R N EYS Patented Apr. 25, 1939 HUMIDIFIER Bernhard Ruppert, Greenwich, Conn. Application July 13, 1938, Serial No. 219,089

2 Claims.

This invention relates to humidifiers, and its general object is to provide a humidifier in the form of an attachment for a steam or hot water radiator for use therewith to moisten the air Within a room or the like heated thereby, so as to maintain the air in a proper humid or healthy and comfortable condition at all times.

A further object is to provide a humidifier that can be associated with any sectional type radiator without fastening means, in that it includes a reservoir that rests upon the top of the radiator, with depending chambered portions adapted for disposal between the sections for fitting association therewith, so as to prevent removal or displacement of the humidifier with respect to the radiator, and certain of the chambered portions have valved outlet means for the passage of water therethrough in constant controlled quantities, to drip upon evaporation fins detachably connected to and depending from the reservoir between the sections, the fins having drip panmeans associated therewith to catch any excess water therefrom. r

Another object is to provide a humidifier, that can be applied to a radiator in an easy and expeditious manner, is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efiicient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view illustrating my humidifier applied to a radiator.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the radiator, with parts of the humidifier broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentary sectional view taken through the reservoir.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through one of the valve outlet means.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a radiator which is of the usual steam or hot water type, in that it includes connected sections, as shown.

The humidifier to be associated with the radiator and which forms the subject matter of the present invention includes a reservoir l of substantially right angled configuration in cross section, to provide an upper main chamber portion 2 and a trough like chamber portion 3 depending from the main chamber portion at the rear thereof. Formed on and depending from the lower horizontal wall of the main chamber portion 2, as well as formed on and extending forwardly from the front wall of the trough like chamber portion 3, is a plurality of relatively narrow elongated chamber portions 4 of a width for disposal between the sections of the radiator and for fitting engagement therewith.

The upper end of tlie reservoir is open as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 2, so that water can be conveniently poured therein, but the open upper end is closed by a. cover 5 having a marginal fiange 6 formed thereon for fitting association about the marginal edge of the reservoir, and the cover 5 may be perforated or provided with a number of openings to allow for escape'of vapor caused by evaporation.

Due to the shape of the reservoir as above set forth, and best shown in Figure 3, it will be obvious that it can be set upon the top of the radiator in a manner whereby the bottom wall of the upper chamber portion 2 rests upon the upper ends of the sections, with the trough like chamber portion 3 rearwardly thereof, and the elongated chambered portions 4 disposed between the sections, as best shown in Figure 2, and as the elongated chambered portions are of a width to fit the sections, casual removal or displacement of the reservoir with respect to the radiator is practically impossible.

Secured to and depending from the lower walls of the main chamber portion and certain of the elongated chamber portions are eyelets 1 and 8 respectively, the eyelets 1 receiving hooked members 9, while theeyelets 8 receive the hooked upper ends of rods l0, which together with the hooked members 9 have secured thereto the upper ends of evaporator fins II for depending relation between the sections of the radiator, as 5 best shown in Figure 1. The evaporator fins are preferably formed from cloth that of course has high capillary properties, such as wick material, and which has non-corrosive wires or the like interwoven therein, so that the fins which are of elongated substantially rectangular shape can be bent and held in serpentine or wavy formation to increase the area of evaporation, depending upon the space available between the radiator sections.

The fins are of a length to extend to the lower ends of the sections, and the lower ends of the fins are reduced to provide forward depending portions I2, as best shown in Figure 2. Secured to the lower ends of each of the fins is a drip pan I3 shaped in substantially L-shaped configuration to follow the shape of the lower ends and the drip pans are preferably detachably connected to the fins by suitable means 14 to allow ready removal thereof to facilitate cleaning the pans and fins, as will be apparent.

The valve outlet means for the reservoir is best shown in Figures 4 and 5, and one of the valves is provided for each of certain of the chamber portions 4 for disposal above the evaporator fins, there being five fins in the form shown, but any number may be used, it depending of course upon the size of the humidifier, and the humidifiers are made in various sizes to fit all sizes of radiators.

Each of the valve outlet means includes an interiorly threaded nipple l5 formed on and extending outwardly from the inner wall of its chamber portion 4, and at the inner end of the nipple is a spider member I6 to provide a stop or abutment means for a felt plug ll which consists of a strip of felt or other suitable material rolled in cylindrical formation to fit the nipple, as best shown in Figure 4. Threaded in the nipple is what I term a flow regulating nut 18 including a square cornered head, and the nut has a conical bore 19 extending therethrough, with the outer end of the plug l'i mounted in the inner or large end of the bore to compress the plug. By that construction, it will be obvious thatthe flow of water from the reservoir to the finscan be regulated as desired, and that the water will drip through the outlet end of the bores 19 upon the fins, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 2.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A humidifier attachment for a radiator of a heatingsystem, comprising a reservoir to rest upon the top of the radiator, and including depending relatively narrow elongated chamber por tions for disposal between the radiator sections, evaporator fins connected to and depending from the reservoir for disposal between the sections.

valved outlet means for the reservoir and connected to said chamber portions to overlie the evaporator fins for supplying water thereto, and each valved outlet means including a nipple formed on its chamber portion, a plug of absorbent material in the nipple, abutment means for the plug at the juncture of the nipple with the chamber portion, and a regulating nut threaded in the nipple and having a conical bore extending therethrough to receive the absorbent material therein for compressing the latter.

2. A humidifier attachment for a radiator of a heating system, comprising a reservoir of substantially right angle shape in cross section to provide an upper main chamber portion and a depending rearwardly disposed trough like chamber portion, said upper main chamber portion adapted to rest upon the top of the radiator to cover the same, relatively narrow elongated chamber portions formed on and communicating with the other chamber portions and depending from the upper main chamber portion for disposal between the radiator sections, evaporator fins individually detachably connected to and depending from the reservoir for disposal between the sections, valve controlled outlet means for the reservoir and connected to the elongated chamber portions to overlie the evaporator fins for supplying water thereto, a substantially L-shaped drip pan for each fin and secured to the lower ends thereof, and said fins each including an elongated substantially rectangular strip of absorbent material transversely bent substantially throughout the length thereof in serpentine formation, and reinforcing means interwoven within the strips to hold the same in said formation.

BERNHARD RUPPERT. 

